Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Auburn, CA and Montreal

For one person, living is cheaper in Montreal: $2,018 a month against $3,212 in Auburn, CA, rent and utilities included – about $14,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Auburn, CA
🇺🇸 United States
$3,212
/mo nomad
Montreal
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,018
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Auburn, CA and in Montreal

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Auburn, CA and in Montreal actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,212 per month in Auburn, CA vs $2,018 in Montreal, rent included.

  • Auburn, CA $3,212
  • Montreal $2,018

A couple spends around $4,620 per month in Auburn, CA vs $3,085 in Montreal, rent included.

  • Auburn, CA $4,620
  • Montreal $3,085

A family of three spends $6,027 per month in Auburn, CA vs $4,152 in Montreal, rent included.

  • Auburn, CA $6,027
  • Montreal $4,152

Auburn, CA costs about 59% more than Montreal, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Auburn, CA and Montreal sit above the global median – Auburn, CA by 138%, Montreal by 49%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Auburn, CA
Montreal
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$25.25 $25.25
$18.82 CA$26.61
34.17%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$90.7 $90.7
$70.3 CA$99.4
29.08%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.92 $11.92
$10.66 CA$15.06
11.82%
Cappuccino
$4.91 $4.91
$3.84 CA$5.43
27.86%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.54 $2.54
$1.92 CA$2.71
32.29%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.37 $2.37
$1.54 CA$2.18
53.90%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.86 $4.86
$6.23 CA$8.81
-21.99%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.11 $7.11
$7.10 CA$10.03
0.14%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Auburn, CA
Montreal
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.23 $1.23
$2.31 CA$3.27
-46.75%
White Bread (500g)
$4.52 $4.52
$3.14 CA$4.44
43.95%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$8.21 $8.21
$3.21 CA$4.54
155.76%
Eggs
$3.17 $3.17
$3.52 CA$4.97
-9.94%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$25.79 $25.79
$12.81 CA$18.11
101.33%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$18.58 $18.58
$11.46 CA$16.20
62.13%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$23.00 $23.00
$13.39 CA$18.92
71.77%
Apples (1kg)
$7.72 $7.72
$3.14 CA$4.43
145.86%
Banana (1kg)
$1.70 $1.70
$1.44 CA$2.03
18.06%
Oranges (1kg)
$8.51 $8.51
$3.47 CA$4.91
145.24%
Tomato (1kg)
$6.78 $6.78
$3.07 CA$4.34
120.85%
Potato (1kg)
$5.10 $5.10
$1.90 CA$2.69
168.42%
Onion (1kg)
$3.06 $3.06
$1.77 CA$2.50
72.88%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.02 $2.02
$2.34 CA$3.31
-13.68%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.27 $2.27
$1.55 CA$2.19
46.45%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$11.66 $11.66
$11.38 CA$16.09
2.46%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.24 $15.24
$10.63 CA$15.03
43.37%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.46 $1.46
$2.27 CA$3.21
-35.68%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.02 $2.02
$2.82 CA$3.99
-28.37%
🚌 Getting Around
Auburn, CA
Montreal
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.40 $3.40
$2.66 CA$3.76
27.82%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$88.2 $88.2
$77.3 CA$109
14.13%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.26 $3.26
$3.20 CA$4.53
1.87%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.43 $2.43
$1.48 CA$2.09
64.19%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$40.49 $40.49
$32.88 CA$46.48
23.14%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.22 $1.22
$1.34 CA$1.90
-8.96%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$32.8K $32.8K
$28.2K CA$39.8K
16.62%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.5K $24.5K
$19.6K CA$27.8K
24.80%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Auburn, CA
Montreal
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$189 $189
$76.0 CA$107
148.74%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$49.79 $49.79
$33.95 CA$48.00
46.66%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$66.7 $66.7
$42.31 CA$59.8
57.69%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Auburn, CA
Montreal
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$64.4 $64.4
$29.76 CA$42.07
116.50%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$20.28 CA$28.67
-
Cinema Ticket
$15.10 $15.10
$11.15 CA$15.77
35.43%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Auburn, CA
Montreal
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,686 $2,686
$507 CA$717
429.68%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,939 $5,939
$16.1K CA$22.7K
-63.00%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Auburn, CA
Montreal
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$68.7 $68.7
$57.6 CA$81.4
19.36%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$46.74 $46.74
$37.58 CA$53.1
24.37%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$110 $110
$91.9 CA$130
20.13%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$199 $199
$110 CA$155
81.42%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Auburn, CA
Montreal
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,823 $1,823
$1,260 CA$1,782
44.63%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,591 $1,591
$948 CA$1,340
67.94%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,784 $2,784
$2,137 CA$3,021
30.27%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,344 $2,344
$1,614 CA$2,281
45.25%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,277 $3,277
$4,960 CA$7,011
-33.92%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,675 $2,675
$3,838 CA$5,425
-30.30%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Auburn, CA
Montreal
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,926 $3,926
$2,827 CA$3,997
38.85%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.77
4.48
51.12%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Auburn, CA: October 13, 2026

Last update for Montreal: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Auburn, CA
$1.6K
Montreal
$948 40.5% $644
Groceries & Markets
Auburn, CA
$558
Montreal
$346 37.9% $211
Eating Out
Auburn, CA
$355
Montreal
$288 18.9% $67
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Auburn, CA
$305
Montreal
$152 50.2% $153
Clothing & Footwear
Auburn, CA
$191
Montreal
$133 30.1% $58
Getting Around
Auburn, CA
$117
Montreal
$99 16% $19
Sport & Entertainment
Auburn, CA
$95
Montreal
$52 45% $43

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,823 in Auburn, CA versus $1,260 in Montreal. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 39% higher in Auburn, CA, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $91.0 in Auburn, CA versus $70.0 in Montreal. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $558 vs $346 – making Montreal the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Auburn, CA
🇨🇦 Montreal
🕒 Local time
11:59 11:59 AM
14:59 2:59 PM
3 h ahead of Auburn, CA
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
76,143
1,762,949
Exchange rates and currency converter

CAD, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 1.41 CAD (1 CAD = 0.707 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (1 CAD = 0.629 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Auburn, CA Montreal 3,920 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Auburn, CA
  • Montreal

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
Auburn, CA vs Montreal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Auburn, CA and in Montreal compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $3,212 in Auburn, CA, $2,018 in Montreal – roughly 59% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.
What salary covers living expenses in Auburn, CA compared to Montreal?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,818 per month in Auburn, CA and $3,027 in Montreal. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Auburn, CA and Montreal?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Montreal, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Auburn, CA and Montreal?
Kindergarten costs $2,686 per month in Auburn, CA and $507 in Montreal. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 61% more in Auburn, CA, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Montreal, where all-in costs run around $2,018, than in Auburn, CA at $3,212. In Montreal it covers expenses comfortably, while in Auburn, CA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Auburn, CA and Montreal?
It depends on your priorities. Montreal has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,018 in Montreal to $3,212 in Auburn, CA. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Auburn, CA or Montreal safer for residents?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
How do I decide between Auburn, CA and Montreal?
If budget matters most, go with Montreal. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Auburn, CA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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